Expression and/or levels of cosmetic polypeptides and other biomolecules may change with age, injury or exposure to environmental factors. For example, cosmetic polypeptides such as collagen, elastin, growth factors and repair enzymes may decline with age and matrix metalloproteinase may increase with age increases collagen breakdown causing undesirable changes in aesthetics. Genetic therapy can provide for a targeted approach for the improvement, treatment and maintenance of the cell, tissue and/or organism related to cosmetic appearance.
To this end, the inventors have shown that certain modified mRNA sequences have the potential as therapeutics with benefits beyond just evading, avoiding or diminishing the immune response. Such studies are detailed in published co-pending applications International Application PCT/US2011/046861 filed Aug. 5, 2011 and PCT/US2011/054636 filed Oct. 3, 2011, International Application number PCT/US2011/054617 filed Oct. 3, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
The present invention addresses this need by providing nucleic acid based compounds or cosmetic polynucleotides which encode a cosmetic polypeptide of interest (e.g., modified mRNA or mmRNA) and which have structural and/or chemical features that avoid one or more of the problems in the art.